Résumé

Lawrence Kruse proved to be a loyal employee working first for the high-profile architectural firm of Bakewell and Brown, and then transitioning to employment in Arthur Brown, Jr.'s office after 1928. He spent his entire career working with either Brown or employees of the Brown office.

Clerk, F.W. Morrish, Druggist, San Francisco, CA, 1911. Morrish had a drug store at 1165 Divisadero Street (corner of Eddy) in 1911. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1911, p. 956 and 1190.)

Draftsman, Bakewell and Brown, Architects, San Francisco, CA,1913 -1928. It is likely that Kruse entered the office of Bakewell and Brown just out of high school in 1912 or 1913. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1913, p. 1054 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1928, p. 907.)

2nd Lieutenant, US Army, Company B, 25th Engineers, France, c. 1918-05/1919. Kruse returned to the US via the appropriated German ship Kaiserin Augusta Victoria, sailing from Brest, France, to the US on 05/14/1919. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985; Record Group Number: 92; Roll or Box Number: 128, accessed 02/06/2024.)

Draftsman / Architect, Arthur Brown, Jr., Architect, San Francisco, CA, 1928-1942. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1928, p. 907.) His World War II draft registration card listed Arthur Brown, Jr., as his employer. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (4th Registration) For the State of California; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147, accesseed 02/02/2024.)

Partner, Weihe, Frick and Kruse, Architects, San Francisco, CA, 1942- .

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), San Francisco Chapter.

Director, Northern California Chapter, American Institute of Architects (AIA), 1954;

Archives

Some papers created by Lawrence Kruse are contained in the Weihe, Frick and Kruse Collection maintained at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB), College of Environmental Design (CED) Archives, Berkeley, CA. The CED web site said of this collection: "The bulk of the Weihe, Frick & Kruse collection consists of records documenting Weihe, Frick & Kruse projects. The collection also contains records from predecessor firms of Brown & Frick, and Bakewell & Weihe, as well as material created by the successor firm of William B. Fox. Materials include a few student drawings by Edward Frick and project files and drawings of Frick, and Bakewell & Weihe. Project files and drawings also document Weihe, Frick & Kruse projects, as well as Grace Cathedral, the largest project in the collection." (See University of California, Berkeley (UCB), College of Environmental Design Archives, "Weihe, Frick & Kruse," accessed 07/11/2019.)

High School / College

Kruse was likely a high school student in San Francisco, CA, in 1912. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1912, p. 987.)

Coursework, Architecture, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, c. 1920-1921. Kruse may have attended Harvard as a special student or during a summer school term in 1920 and/or 1921, but probably did not matriculate there as a standard four-year student. (For at least part of 1919 and 1920 Kruse was listed as living at 1941 Turk Street in San Francisco. See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1919, p. 934 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1920, p. 969.) The 1940 US Census also indicated that Kruse had had two years of college training.

Relocation

Born in Grass Valley, CA on 06/18/1894, Lawrence Kruse spent most of his life working in his home state, save for any college training that he may have had at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. In 1900, he lived with his widowed mother in the 19th-century, gold-mining town of Grass Valley, CA, in Nevada County, about 57 miles northeast of Sacramento.

In general during his life, Kruse preferred to stay in familiar locations. He lived for over ten years at 1941 Turk Street and for at least 43 years at 233 Santa Paula Avenue in San Francisco.

Between 1911 and 1922, at least, Kruse lived with his mother in a residence at 1941 Turk Street in San Francisco. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1911, p. 956 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1922, p. 993.)

In 1923, while a draftsman in the office of Bakewell and Brown, Architects, Kruse lived in Mill Valley, CA. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1923, p. 1002.) He was listed as living in Ross, CA, in both 1925 and 1926. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1925, p. 1090 and an Francisco, California, City Directory, 1926, p. 1216.)

He moved back to San Francisco either 1926 or 1927. He and his wife Irene lived at 2514 Lake Street in 1927. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1927, p. 1260)

Beginning in either late 1927 or 1928, Kruse and his wife Irene dwelled at 233 Santa Paula Avenue in San Francisco's upscale Saint Francis Wood neighboorhood. (See San Francisco City Directory, 1928, p. 907.) As per the 1930 US Census the house had a value of $10,000 at the time, average for its immediate environs. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Page: 22B; Enumeration District: 0093; FHL microfilm: 2339933, accessed 02/02/2024.)

They stayed in the same house when the 1940 US Census was taken, living here with a maid, Edna Thompson (born c. 1919 in CA). In 1940, the house had an estimated value of $9,000, slightly less than in 1930, but about average for the block. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: m-t0627-00310; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 38-331, accessed 02/02/2024.) Kruse lived in the house at 233 Santa Paula Avenue until his death in 1971.

Kruse died at the Pacific Heights Convalescent Hospital at age 76 on 03/11/1971, due to metastatic colon cancer. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 02/02/2024.) He was buried at the Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, CA.

Parents

His father, Herman Kruse , was German-born, while his mother, Rosalie Anthony (born c. 10/1852 in France-d. ), came from France. They wed by at least 1877.

In 1900, his mother Rosalie was a recent widow, who had had seven children. His brothers and sisters were Ella Kruse (born c. 08/1879 in CA), Frank Kruse (born c. 01/1881 in CA), Josephine Kruse (born c. 11/1883 in CA), George Kruse (born c. 02/1887 in CA) and Louis Kruse (born 01/1889 in CA).

Spouse

He wed Irene Carmelita Conaty (born 12/10/1900 in CA-d. 07/23/1978 in CA). She died of cancer in 1978, with her address still being 233 Santa Paula Avenue. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 02/04/2024.)

Irene was the youngest of four children. Her father Peter Conaty (born c. 1862 in Ireland-d. 06/13/1930 in San Francisco, CA), a grocer in 1910 and a tobacco merchant in 1920, immigrated to the US from Ireland in c. 1886, and was naturalized c. 1891. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: San Francisco Assembly District 32, San Francisco, California; Roll: T624_96; Page: 4a; Enumeration District: 0044; FHL microfilm: 1374109, accessed 02/06/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: San Francisco Assembly District 25, San Francisco, California; Roll: T625_134; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 82, accessed 02/06/2024.) Irene's mother, Sarah J. Oughin (born c. 1863 in CA-d. 03/13/1939 in San Francisco, CA), also came from Irish stock, and had immigrated to CA by at least 1860. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 77; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 146, accessed 02/06/2024.)

Children

He and Irene had a son, Lawrence Anthony Kruse, Jr., (born 02/17/1931 in San Francisco, CA-d. 11/12/2013 in Kentfield, CA).

At the time of his mother's death in 1978, Lawrence, Jr., lived at 810 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Kentfield, CA.

Biographical Notes

His World War I draft card of 06/05/1917 listed Kruse as standing 5-feet, 8-inches tall, with a medium build, blue eyes and brown hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: San Francisco Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 02/06/2024.)

His World War II draft registration card listed Kruse, at age 47, as Caucasian, with a ruddy complexion, gray eyes and brown hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (4th Registration) For the State of California; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147, accesseed 02/02/2024.)

SSN: 556-03-3026A.

• Grass Valley, CA (Architect's Birth)
  Grass Valley, CA

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